The ARD/IEP Committee may meet more often than annually to revise the student’s IEP, as appropriate, to address:
any lack of expected progress toward the annual goals
the results of any reevaluation
information about the student provided to, or by the parents
anticipated needs of the student
other concerns
A parent may request an ARD/IEP committee meeting (at a mutually agreeable time) at any time to discuss educational concerns such as placement, IEP goals and objectives, and the extent of services being provided to the student. The school must either grant the parent’s request to have a meeting or contact the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to ask for assistance through mediation//89.1045(b).//
What We do:
In HISD, the ARD/IEP Committee is formed before the first day of school. The ARD/IEP Committee Membership Report is forwarded to the appropriate Field Office Special Education Senior Manager by the end of the first week of school. This report includes the names of the committee members, the name of the chairperson, the name of the administrator and/or the name of the administrative designee (and his/her position). The ARD/IEP Committee includes the following participants (general composition):
a representative from the school district who is qualified to supervise the provision of specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities, who is knowledgeable about the general education curriculum, and who is knowledgeable about the availability of resources in the school district 300.321(a)(4), 89.1050(c)(1)(D), 1414(d)(1)(B)(iv)
a representative from instruction will always be included:
the appropriate general education teacher(s) who is responsible for implementing a portion of the student’s IEP for those students who are receiving, or who are expected to receive, instruction in general education300.321(a)(2) 89.1050(c)(1)(B) 1414(d)(1)(B)(ii)
a student 18 years of age or older who has not been judged by a court of law to be incompetent to manage personal affairs or who has not relinquished rights to parents in writing will participate in the student’s own ARD/IEP meeting (Adult Student 300.625(c), 300.520(a)(1)(ii), 1415 (m)(1)(B))
a speech therapist when students with speech impairments are being considered
a professional certified in the education of students with auditory impairments when students with auditory impairments are being considered 89.1050(c)(4)(B) 89.1050(c)(4)(C) 89.1131(b)(4)
the Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher who will instruct the student is a member when the committee is considering placement in a CTE program 75.1023(d)(1) 2301
the Vocational Adjustment Coordinator (VAC) when special education career and technology classes are being considered
the Employment Specialist when Community Based Vocational Instruction (CBVI) is being considered
a professional representing the LPAC when a student with disabilities and limited English proficiency is being considered 89.1225(f)(4) 89.1225(k)
Duties of the ARD/IEP Committee
The ARD/IEP Committee makes decisions concerning the educational program for students who are eligible to receive special education services 300.306(a)(1) 89.1050(a) 1414(b)(4)(A). Among other responsibilities, the ARD/IEP Committee performs the following functions:
develops and reviews the IEP and the Functional Behavior Assessment/Behavior Support Plan (FBA/BSP), reviews input forms, completes the transition information section of the ARD/IEP Committee Report document, and incorporates information in the ARD/IEP Supplement: Personal Graduation Plan Addressing Needed Transition Services 300.324(a)(1) 1414(d)(3)(A), TEC 29.0111 TEC 29.011 89.1055(g) 300.320(b) 1414(d)(1)(A)(i)(VIII), TEC 28.0212(a)
provides an audio-taped copy of the student’s ARD/IEP committee meeting in the parent’s native language if the parent does not speak and understand English TEC 29.005(d)(1)
provides for educational placement in the least restrictive environment appropriate to meet the needs of the student 300.114(a)(2)(i) 1412(a)(5)(A)
makes decisions regarding promotion or retention of students with disabilities receiving special education services TEC 28.0211(i)(2) TEC 28.0211
Coordinate scheduling of ARD/IEP committee meetings at a time mutually acceptable to the parent/adult student and other members
Provide the parent/adult student with written notice of ARD/IEP committee meetings at least 5 school days prior to the meeting 89.1015
Ensure the Notice of Procedural Safeguards Booklet is provided to parent/adult student or guardian with the Notice of ARD/IEP committee meeting for an initial or evaluation ARD/IEP committee meeting, and at least annually thereafter
Record the Notice of the ARD/IEP committee meeting and Notice of Procedural Safeguards booklet on the Record of Communication form
Identify a person who will serve as case manager for each student to ensure the implementation of instructional and related services
Conduct the ARD/IEP committee meeting and appoint a recorder to take the minutes.
Facilitate resolution of problematic ARD/IEP committee meetings
Monitor the input of information in an ARD/IEP data management system
Encourage parents to resolve concerns at the campus level, appropriate Field Office, or central office
Ensure that proceedings of the ARD/IEP committee meetings are recorded
ARD/IEP Committee Training
All ARD/IEP committee members, including all administrators who will participate on the committee, will be trained annually. Training will include information on new federal, state, and local guidelines related to the implementation of special education services.
A representative of the appropriate Field Office or central special education support staff will provide training. Documentation of training must be submitted to the Office of Special Education Services by the end of November.
Excusing Members from attending the Meeting
The IDEA provides that a member of the ARD/IEP Committee may be excused from attending an ARD/IEP committee meeting, in whole or in part, when the meeting involves a modification to, or discussion of the member's area of the curriculum or related services. Members can be excused from attending the meeting if the school district and parent consent in writingto the excusal, and the excused individual submits to the parent and the CSE written input into the development of the IEP no less than five calendar days prior to the meeting 300.320(a) 300.321(e)(1) 89.1050(c)(5).
In addition, a member of the Committee on Special Education (CSE) may be excused from attending an ARD/IEP Team meeting, in whole or in part, if the parent of a child with a disability and the agency, agree in writing, that the attendance of the member is not necessary due to the member's area of the curriculum or related services not being modified or discussed in the meeting.
The IDEA also allows changes to be made to a student’s IEP after the annual ARD/IEP committee meeting for a school year. The parent of a child with a disability and the school district may agree not to convene an ARD/IEP committee meeting for the purposes of making those changes, and instead may develop a written document to amend or modify the student’s current IEP.
The regular education teacher, the special education teacher, the representative of the school district, and the evaluation person may be excused from attending part or all of the ARD/IEP committee meeting when the person’s attendance is not necessary due to the person’s area of the curriculum or related service not being modified or discussed in the meeting. A member of the ARD/IEP Committee may also be excused from attending an ARD/IEP committee meeting when the meeting involves a modification to or discussion of the member’s area of curriculum or related service if:
the parent and the district agree
the agreement is in writing
the parties agree that the person’s area of the curriculum or related services is not being changed or discussed in the meeting
the person being excused submits written input into the development of the IEP to the parent and the rest of the ARD/IEP Committee
What's required:
The ARD/IEP Committee must meet at least once a year to review a student’s IEP and determine whether the annual goals are being met 300.324(b)(1)(i) 200.1(f)(2)(v) 1414(d)(4)(A)(i).
The ARD/IEP Committee may meet more often than annually to revise the student’s IEP, as appropriate, to address:
A parent may request an ARD/IEP committee meeting (at a mutually agreeable time) at any time to discuss educational concerns such as placement, IEP goals and objectives, and the extent of services being provided to the student. The school must either grant the parent’s request to have a meeting or contact the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to ask for assistance through mediation //89.1045(b).//
What We do:
In HISD, the ARD/IEP Committee is formed before the first day of school. The ARD/IEP Committee Membership Report is forwarded to the appropriate Field Office Special Education Senior Manager by the end of the first week of school. This report includes the names of the committee members, the name of the chairperson, the name of the administrator and/or the name of the administrative designee (and his/her position). The ARD/IEP Committee includes the following participants (general composition):
300.321(a)(5) 89.1050(c)(1)(E) 1414(d)(1)(B)(v)
Duties of the ARD/IEP Committee
The ARD/IEP Committee makes decisions concerning the educational program for students who are eligible to receive special education services 300.306(a)(1) 89.1050(a) 1414(b)(4)(A). Among other responsibilities, the ARD/IEP Committee performs the following functions:Duties of the ARD/IEP Chairperson
ARD/IEP Committee Training
All ARD/IEP committee members, including all administrators who will participate on the committee, will be trained annually. Training will include information on new federal, state, and local guidelines related to the implementation of special education services.A representative of the appropriate Field Office or central special education support staff will provide training. Documentation of training must be submitted to the Office of Special Education Services by the end of November.
Excusing Members from attending the Meeting
The IDEA provides that a member of the ARD/IEP Committee may be excused from attending an ARD/IEP committee meeting, in whole or in part, when the meeting involves a modification to, or discussion of the member's area of the curriculum or related services. Members can be excused from attending the meeting if the school district and parent consent in writingto the excusal, and the excused individual submits to the parent and the CSE written input into the development of the IEP no less than five calendar days prior to the meeting 300.320(a) 300.321(e)(1) 89.1050(c)(5).In addition, a member of the Committee on Special Education (CSE) may be excused from attending an ARD/IEP Team meeting, in whole or in part, if the parent of a child with a disability and the agency, agree in writing, that the attendance of the member is not necessary due to the member's area of the curriculum or related services not being modified or discussed in the meeting.
The IDEA also allows changes to be made to a student’s IEP after the annual ARD/IEP committee meeting for a school year. The parent of a child with a disability and the school district may agree not to convene an ARD/IEP committee meeting for the purposes of making those changes, and instead may develop a written document to amend or modify the student’s current IEP.
The regular education teacher, the special education teacher, the representative of the school district, and the evaluation person may be excused from attending part or all of the ARD/IEP committee meeting when the person’s attendance is not necessary due to the person’s area of the curriculum or related service not being modified or discussed in the meeting. A member of the ARD/IEP Committee may also be excused from attending an ARD/IEP committee meeting when the meeting involves a modification to or discussion of the member’s area of curriculum or related service if: